Kyl: Govt Could Shut Down for Weekend

Senate GOP Whip John Kyl says whether or not there is an agreement on the 2011 spending package Friday, the government could shut down over the weekend because the deal would take time to procedurally work its way through Congress. The Arizona Republican also said on Fox News Thursday he has no idea why President Barack Obama would threaten to veto the latest stopgap bill, which would fund the military.

“I didn’t think it would come to this, but even if there is an agreement made . . . it will take time just to work it through the system. So it's quite possible that at least over the weekend, the government would be shut down,” Kyl told Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren. “And you're right, it is serious. Think about this: Our military still reports for duty every day, but they don't get paid. That's wrong.

“The problem is, the president says he'll veto that bill. Now, why? Not to pay the military? Not to have $12 billion in reductions in spending? Most of which, by the way, the administration's already agreed to,” he continued. “I don't understand why he would threaten to veto that bill.”

Van Susteren asked if the president, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and House Speaker John Boehner come up with an agreement does that necessarily mean the Senate would go along with the deal.

“No guarantee, but here’s the dynamic: John Boehner, the Republican speaker of the House, would be able to pass the bill through the House, because Republicans would support it in sufficient numbers,” Kyl said. “Harry Reid presumably would have the support of most of the Democrats in the Senate, because he’s the other party to the negotiation. To the extent that he needed any additional votes, you have Senate Republicans like myself, who presumably would be in agreement with Speaker Boehner and therefore would also support it.

“So for all practical purposes, an agreement between Republican Speaker Boehner and Democrat Majority Leader Harry Reid would have the votes to pass both the House and the Senate.”

Senate GOP Whip John Kyl says whether or not there is an agreement on the 2011 spending package Friday, the government could shut down over the weekend because the deal would take time to procedurally work its way through Congress. The Arizona Republican also said on Fox...